Label applying attachment



Sept. 26, 1939.

A. GINNS Er AL LABEL APPLYING ATTACHMENT Filed July 29, 1938 Patented Sept. 26, 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2,174,210 LABEL APPLYING ATTACHMENT Albert Ginns, Worcester, and Ralph E. Rawling, Shrewsbury, Mass.

Application July 29-, 1938, Serial No. 221,934

6 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for applying labels to bottles and to other similar packages. While our invention is capable of somewhat general application, it is particularly designed and adapted for applying revenue or sales stamps over the top and along the neck of a bottle containing a taxable product.

It is the general object of our invention to provide an attachment by which such stamps or other labels may be mechanically applied with very little possibility of tearing the stamp or label, even when thin or weak paper is used.

More specifically, we provide means for affixing a label along the sides of a bottle neck by controlled rolling pressure, and we provide means for guiding and positively rotating the rollers during the affixing operation. We also provide means to move the rollers toward or away from each other in accordance with changes in diameter of the bottle neck.

Our invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our improved label attachment;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 3 is a partial rear View, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a partial front elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, we have shown a bottle 13 having a stamp or label L to be applied to the neck thereof. The bottle B is centered in a base or support l which also supports a pair of vertical parallel rods H.

A cross head I2 is slidable vertically on the rods H and may be connected by a link [3 to a lever M by which the cross head and supported parts may be raised and lowered, either manually or automatically. The specific means for raising and lowering the cross head forms no part of our present invention.

A pair of spaced links [6 (Fig. 1) are pivotally supported on a stud I! mounted below the cross head l2, and a similar pair of links l8 (Fig, 3) are supported on a stud IS.

A shaft 20 is freely rotatable in the lower ends of the links l6 and is provided with a wiping roll 2| at its front end and with a pinion 22 at its rear end. The pinion 22 engages a stationary rack bar 24 fixed to a plate 25 which is secured to the rear upright rod H.

A shaft 30 is similarly mounted in the lower ends of the arms l8 and is provided with a wiping roll 3| at its front end and with a pinion 32 at its rear end, engaging a fixed rack bar 34.

A tension spring 35 (Fig. 4) may be provided for one or both pairs of opposed links Iii-l8. The pitch diameter of the pinions 22 and 32 is substantially the same as the diameter of the connecting or wiping portion of the rolls 2| and 3|. These rolls are commonly formed from relatively soft rubber.

In the operation of our attachment, the label L is first placed across the neck of the bottle, as indicated in Fig. 1, by any usual label feeding mechanism, and the lever I4 is then moved manually or mechanically to lower the cross head l2. During this lowering movement, the wiping rolls 2| and 3| are not only positively rotated but are also positively moved apart substantially in accordance with any increase in diameter of the upper portion of the bottle toward the body portion thereof.

The label L is thus pressed against the sides of the bottle neck with a downward rolling action, and the rolling motion is positive and does not depend upon friction against the stamp or label to produce rotation. Furthermore, the spacing of the rolls 2| and 3| to correspond in general to the changes in diameter of the bottle neck is effected mechanically, so that the rolls are always approximately in wiping or pressing position and are moved apart only slightly in applying pressure.

We are thus able to affix even a thin and weak stamp or label over the top of a bottle and along the sides of the bottle neck with very slight possibility of tearing the label, even where it passes over the more or less sharp edge of a bottle cap. It will be understood that the rack bars 24 and 34 may be designed to substantially reproduce the curve or outline of a selected bottle, and that these bars may be readily removed and replaced for bottles of difierent shapes.

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what we claim is:

1. A bottle labeling attachment comprising a pressor roll, means to move said roll bodily along a surface of a bottle, means to positively rotate said roll during such bodily movement, and. means to move said roll toward and from the axis of the bottle in substantial accordance with relativ increases or decreases in diameter of said bottle at the point of contact with said roll.

2. In a bottle labeling machine, a pressor roll, means to move said roll along a bottle surface, mechanical means to move said roll radially of said bottle so that the roll surface maintains uniform engagement with the bottle surface, and spring means to press said roll against said bottle.

3. In a bottle labeling machine, a pressor roll, means to move said roll along a bottle surface, mechanical means to move said roll radially of said bottle so that its surface maintains uniform engagement with said bottle surface, spring means to press said roll against said bottle, and means to positively rotate said roll at the speed of normal rolling contact with said bottle surface.

4. An attachment for applying a label over the neck of a bottle which comprises a pair of pressor rolls, pinions for said rolls, guide rack bars for said pinions, and means to move said pinions along said racks and lengthwise of said bottle.

5. An attachment for applying a label over the neck of a bottle which comprises a pair of pressor rolls, pinions for said rolls, guide rack bars for said pinions, and means to move said pinions along said racks and lengthwise of said bottle, said bars having substantially the conformation of the bottle neck.

6. An attachment for applying a label over the neck of a bottle which comprises a pair of pressor rolls, pinions for said rolls, guide rack bars for said pinions, and means to move said pinions along said racks and lengthwise of said bottle, said bars having substantially the conformation of the bottle neck and the effective diameter of each pressor roll being substantially equal to the pitch diameter of said pinions.

ALBERT GINNS. RALPH E. RAWLING 

